Spectacles.



No. 633,023. Patented Sept. l2, I899. C. E. MIEHLE.

SPECTAGLES.

(Application filed Feb. 1, 1899.)

(H0 Modei.)

WITNESSES: /NVENTO/?.'

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. MIEHLE, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TOJUDAH S. BAKER, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECTAC LES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,023, datedSeptember 12, 1899. Application filed February 1, 1899. Serial No.704,195. (No model.)

i and it consists in the combination and improved construction of theparts of the temple, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the use of spectacles in which the end of the temple is curved to fitbehind the ear it has been found diflicult to attach and remove them,owing to the necessarily close fit of the curve behind the ear to holdthe glasses in their proper position in front of the eyes, and where thehinge portion or car is rigidly secured to the bow portion it isimpossible to use the same temple upon either end of the frame, therebynecessitating the use of a differentbow or temple for each side. Toobviate these objections, I have found that-by making the templerotatable upon its axis and longitudinally extensible the curved portioncan be drawn back beyond the ear and then rotated, so that the tip orcurve will pass above the ear, thereby avoiding the liability ofbreaking, as is the case where the temple is not rotatable. When thetemple is nonrotatable, the curve always has the same fixed relation tothe frame, and the only way to remove it from behind the ear is to takehold of the tip and bend the curve nearly straight, thereby subjectingit to such a strain as will be liable to break it; but by making the bowportion of the temple rotatable the necessity for straightening thecurve is avoided, and it also permits of the temple being used uponeither end of the frame, as the ear or hinge portion is so formed as tofit either end of the frame by simply giving it a half-rotation on itsaxis and then partially rotating the bow to adapt it for engagement withthe head of the user.

In the accompanying drawings,in which the same reference-numeralindicates a correthe collar within the barrel.

spondin g part in each of the views in which it Referring moreparticularly to the draw ings, 1 indicates the temple, the outer end ofwhich may be straight, as shown at 2, or.

curved, as shown at 3 in Fig. 1. The other or inner end of the temple isprovided with a barrel or casing 4, one end of which isperforated forthe passage of the bow of the temple and the other end may be open. Thebarrel may be of any suitable size and length, and the parts may be ofany suitable material, as gold, silver, aluminium, &c. The barrel isprovided with an ear 5, by means of which it is connected with the frame6 in the usual manner. The end of the bow Within the barrel is providedwith a shoulder or collar 7 which fits snugly withinthe barrel andformsa guide and between which and the opposite end of the barrelfitsasuitable spring 8or other resilient material which will return thebow to its original position after a limited longitudireturn movementregulated by a stop in the barrel, as by partially closing the end ofthe barrel similaiw to what is done at the end through which the bowpasses, or the end of the barrel may be screw-threaded and have a plug10 inserted therein, as shown in Fig. 4.

By making the barrel cylindrical in crosssection the bow may be rotatedupon its axis, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby the curvedend may be moved into and out of the planeit occupies when in positionbehind the ear, thus permittingits easy manipulation in attaching orremoving the glasses, as the bow may be rotated at any position of g Therotation of the bow may be effected by rolling it between the fingers orby taking hold of the curved portion of the end, thereby insuring thesatisfactory operation of my invention under all circumstances andconditions. The rotation of the bow avoids the strain and liability ofbreaking the bow at the curve, as is often the case where it must beraised over the ear with the non-rotatable temples, and it also permitsof the temple being used upon either side of the head by connecting itto either end of the frame and then rotating it until the'curved portionprojects downward where a curved bow is used or the clamping portion isinward where the bow is straight; The spring within the casing is onlyof suflicient strength to cause the bow to lit behind the,

ear without causing pain or inconvenience, and by inclosing it withinthe casing it is protected from contact with the fingers, which mightcause it torust and break easily.

In operation the temples are grasped in the usual manner and given aslight roll between the thumb and fingers, which will throw the curvedportion out of the plane of the ear.

In removing the spectacles one or both of the temples is grasped at itsstraight or curved portion and rotated outwardly,'after it has beendrawn backward to clear the ear of the operator, and released, whichwill permit of the glasses being removed. As soon as the spectacles havebeen released the resiliency ofjthe springs will retract each bow withinthe barrel, when the temples may be folded over the frame and put in acase, as with the ordinary glasses. When it is desired to again Theyare.

use-the spectacles, the foregoing operation is repeated.

By inclosing the spring and the end of the bow in asmall barrel the,ordinary observer will fail to detect the slight difierence inappearance between my improved temple and the temple ordinarily used,thereby securing the great advantage in utility heretofore set forthwithout detracting from its appearance, i

which cannot be secured in any other manner. 5 5 Having thus describedmy invention, I J 'clailn- 1. In a temple .for spectacles,'the combination, with a cylindrical barrel, one end of which is perforated and theother end is open of a longitudinally-movable rotatable bow -portion,the innerend of which projects through the perforation of the barrel andis provided with a shoulder, a spring upon the bow between the shoulderand the perforated end of the barrel, and means for closing the open endof the barrel and limiting the move- I ment of the bow in one direction.

2. -In a temple for spectacles, the combination, with a cylindricalbarrel, one end of which is perforated and the other end is open,- of alongitudinally movable rotatable bow portion, the'.inner end of whichprojects through the perforation and is provided with a shoulder, aspring upon the bow between the shoulder and the perforated end of thebarrel, and a plug for closing the barrel and\ limiting the longitudinalmovement of the bow in one direction, one end of theplug fitting in thebarrel and the other end being provided with an ear for engaging withthe spectacle-frame, the bore of the barrel being of a greater lengththan the combined length of the end of the plug in the barrel and theshouldered portion of the how.

I CHARLES E. MIEHLE.

Witnesses: I

' W. S. BOYD, J. S. BAKER.-

